Improvement in sealing cans



J. A. ROBINSON.

SEALING CANS.

No.178.331. Patented June 6,1876.

it-mes Inventor UNITED STATES PATENT OFFroE.

JUAN A. ROBINSON, OF SAN FRANCISCO, CALIFORNIA.

IMPROVEMENT IN SEALING CANS.

Specification forming part of Letters Patent No. 178,331, dated June 6, 1876; application filed August 19, 1875.

skilled in the art or science to which it most nearly appertains to make and use my said invention or improvements without further invention or experiment.

My invention relates to an improvement in sealing cans or other receptacles for the preservation of alimentary substances at the instant when the air is entirely expelled, so that there will be no possibility of the entrance of air before the vessel can be sealed I up, as hereinafter more fully described and claimed.

Great difficulty has been heretofore experienced in preserving alimentary substances of a delicateand perishable nature, and putting them up in a good and sound condition through all climates, by sea or by land.

Great losses have been sustained for want of a method to secure the total extraction of atmospheric air, and for preventing its reabsorption in the receptacles in which the substances are packed, particularly when the articleto be preserved is only found in localities near the equator, where the atmosphere is constantly charged with moisture and heat, and where decomposition is very rapid.

After repeated experiments in endeavoring to put up green turtle in a country where the average heat is 90 Fahrenheit, I have discovered a method of closing cans or other receptacles so instantaneously at the moment the air is expelled by ebullition as to prevent the reabsorption of atmospheric air.

Thus green turtle, or any other delicate'substance, can be preserved in any climate, and remain sound and free from decomposition for an indefinite period.

My invention consists in constructing the small respiratory aperture left in the cover of a can so that it can be closed instantaneously while the contents are in a state of ebullition, and thus prevent the absorption of atmospheric air during the process of hermetically sealing the can.

Referring to the accompanying drawings for a more complete explanation of my invention, Figure 1 shows a can-cover with the parts separated. Fig. 2 shows the parts sealed together.

A is an ordinary can-cover, with an opening, B, of about two inches in diameter, to allow the introduction of alimentary substances. C is a cover for said aperture, to be soldered or sealed on after the can is filled. In the center of the cover C is a small orifice, O, to allow the steam and air to escape when the contents of the vessel are in a state of ebullition. D is a small concave cap, in the interior center of which is a flexible substance, G. This cap, with the flexible substance G,

is to be pressed on the orifice O in the cover C at the proper moment, and thus prevent the possibility of absorption of atmospheric air in the can or other receptacle during the operation of sealing the same over the orifice 0, this being done by soldering or in any other suitable manner.

The orifice O in my device is formed by turning up the metal of the cover until it forms a small tube, with the mouth or end upward to receive a sudden and quick application of the flexible substance G, thus completely closing the can the moment the mouth of the orifice or tube 0 is touched by the flexible substance.

The success of my device results from this sudden and complete sealing of the can at the proper moment.

I am aware that it is not new to close a can by means of a flexible substance applied to an orifice in the top of the can, as this has been done; but the closing was not instantaneous, as the flexible material had to ,be forced downward into a funnel-shaped opening, during which operation more or less air was permitted to enter the can, which proved destructive to the delicate articles named.

. Having thus described my invention, whatI closing the button, as and for the purpose set claim as new, and desireto secure by Letters forth.

Patent, is San Francisco, July 24, 1875.

In a preserving vessel or can, the combination of a respiratory outlet, having an up- JUAN A. ROBINSON. turned mouth or perimeter, a flexible or elasv Witnesses; tic button covering the outlet, and engaging GEO. H. STRONG,

the upper edge of its perimeter, and a cap in- JNO. L. BOONE. 

